ul

Why you should avoid some cough syrups if you think you've got the coronavirus

A common cough syrup ingredient has pro-viral properties and should be avoided by people infected by the coronavirus, scientists warn.




ul

Biden denies allegation of sexual assault decades ago

After trying to remain silent, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee says the allegation of an assault dating to the 1990s 'isn't true.'




ul

Trump acknowledges coronavirus death toll could reach 100,000

Coronavirus could kill 100,000, Trump says, weeks after predicting lower toll




ul

L.A. Times wins Pulitzer Prizes for art criticism, immigration reporting

Los Angeles Times journalists Christopher Knight and Molly O'Toole won Pulitzer Prizes on Monday, bringing the newspaper's total to 47.




ul

'You could literally kill someone': Masks become a new COVID-19 battleground

As more states reopen their economies, officials say fighting the coronavirus outbreak means wearing a face covering. But some are balking at restrictions.




ul

Scientists say a now-dominant strain of the coronavirus could be more contagious than original

A mutation in the novel coronavirus has led to a new strain viewed as more contagious than the virus that emerged from China, according to a new study.




ul

'We're vulnerable': On the Navajo Nation, a rush to curb the coronavirus

A desperate attempt to halt coronavirus cases is underway on the country's largest reservation, which spans Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.




ul

A coronavirus debate on the apple orchard: Should migrant workers be allowed to sleep in bunk beds?

Washington state fruit growers say that a ban on bunk beds in farmworker housing would cut their seasonal work force in half, likely leading to food shortages and price hikes.




ul

Tequila and bedsheets: Five popular lockdown buys

A report by the John Lewis group gives a snapshot of what consumers are buying during the pandemic.




ul

Coronavirus: What could a socially-distanced bar look like?

How bars and restaurants could look when coronavirus restrictions are eased.




ul

Jake Paul Says He's Coming For Dillon Danis' Head, Masvidal's Training Me!

YouTube superstar-turned-fighter Jake Paul says he'll beat the living daylight out of MMA fighter Dillon Danis in a boxing match ... and tells TMZ Sports he has a UFC superstar on board to help him get it done. Of course, Paul previously stated he…




ul

Gregg Sulkin Looks Jacked During Coronavirus-Style Workout

Gregg Sulkin is not letting something like coronavirus torpedo his perfectly-toned physique. Gregg took in a workout Friday at an L.A. park, and he's clearly figured out a way to stay jacked during self-quarantine. He worked out for about an hour,…




ul

Rs.3,500 - Kolkata to Bengaluru 1 Jul on IndiGo found 0 days ago

Rs.3,500 - Kolkata to Bengaluru 1 Jul on IndiGo found 0 days ago




ul

Piers Morgan forced off Good Morning Britain as he awaits coronavirus test results

The ITV host told his Twitter followers on Sunday night that he had been feeling unwell over the weekend




ul

Molly-Mae and Tommy Fury's anger as dozens ignore lockdown rules in Ancoats

The pair shared video of people gathering in the sunshine




ul

7 Little-Known Amazon EBS Features You Should Be Using

Whether you're a new or established user of Amazon's EBS here are seven functions you may not know about that can be used to optimize your system and ROI.

Keep on reading: 7 Little-Known Amazon EBS Features You Should Be Using




ul

Quick Answers to Quick Questions: In Conversation with Cal Evans, Senior Consultant, E.I.C.C., Inc.

With 34 years of programming experience in various organizations, Cal shares what he's observed of leaders who are looking to be reinvigorated, what to do when job-inspiration is lost and taking an educated leap of faith.

Keep on reading: Quick Answers to Quick Questions: In Conversation with Cal Evans, Senior Consultant, E.I.C.C., Inc.




ul

FDA ISSUES FINAL RULE ON GRAPHIC WARNINGS FOR CIGARETTE PACKAGES AND ADVERTISEMENTS

By: Stacy Ehrlich and Justine E. Johnson On March 18, 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a final rule (21 C.F.R. Part 1141) requiring textual and graphic health warnings to be included on all cigarette packages and advertisements.[1]  FDA simultaneously published two related guidance documents: (1) Required Warnings for Cigarette Packages and Advertisements,

The post FDA ISSUES FINAL RULE ON GRAPHIC WARNINGS FOR CIGARETTE PACKAGES AND ADVERTISEMENTS appeared first on Kleinfeld Kaplan & Becker LLP.




ul

TTB Finalizes Portions of Modernization of Advertising and Labeling Regulations for Wine, Distilled Spirits, and Malt Beverages Rule

#TTB just made changes to modernize the way that #wine, #distilledspirits, and #maltbeverages are labeled and advertised. KKB associate Dan Logan and partner Dan Dwyer highlight some of the key changes (and proposals that were rejected).

The post TTB Finalizes Portions of Modernization of Advertising and Labeling Regulations for Wine, Distilled Spirits, and Malt Beverages Rule appeared first on Kleinfeld Kaplan & Becker LLP.




ul

COVID─19 pandemic leads to rise in circulation of counterfeit drugs




ul

Potential of Ayurveda should not be ignored in the fight against COVID─19: Dr Saravadekar




ul

Union health minister calls upon all scientific depts to develop enhanced synergy for better results




ul

Stanford Bioengineers Innovate Multiple Solutions to Tackle COVID-19

The current pandemic is revealing the level of commitment needed from multiple sectors to deliver innovative solutions to tackle severe shortages of personal protective equipment, ventilators, and raw materials. Researchers at the Prakash lab at Stanford University are no stranger to taking up extreme challenges, and they have kept up their reputation by coming up […]




ul

Aquadex Ultrafiltration for Critical COVID Patients: Interview with John Erb, CEO at CHF Solutions

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, many healthcare facilities around the world are inundated with critically ill patients, and resources such as equipment and staff are stretched thin. Shortages of critical equipment, such as ventilators, can mean the difference between life and death for patients, and the need to keep critically ill patients comfortable and alive […]




ul

A Multinational Effort to Reduce Neonatal Mortality: Interview with Dr. Maria Oden, Co-director of Rice 360° Institute for Global Health

According to the World Health Organization, 47% of childhood deaths worldwide occur in the first four weeks of life. This neonatal mortality rate is particularly prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, where nearly one million newborns die every year. Many of these deaths can be prevented with medical devices that more developed countries often take for granted, […]




ul

The force: How to improve ultrasonic plastic welding

Tom Hoover, senior medical business development manager – Americas, assembly technologies, at global technology and manufacturing company, Emerson, explains how ultrasonic plastic welding is improved through improved force control.




ul

How a custom plastic injection moulder is coping with the rise in demand due to Covid-19

Diversified Plastics (DPI), a custom plastic injection moulder and additive manufacturer of high-precision components, has increased the capacity of its Acceleration Station to meet the rise in demand associated with the Covid-19 pandemic.




ul

How labelling could help with HAIs during the pandemic

Polyfuze Graphics, a global manufacturer of polymer fusion technology products for safety labelling and graphics, has introduced an antimicrobial safety product to help with Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs) during the Covid-19 pandemic.




ul

Med-Tech Innovation Expo rescheduled for June 2021

Rapid News Group has announced the decision to postpone Med-Tech Innovation Expo, the UK’s flagship event for the medical device industry to 2021.




ul

BIO’s “What Every State Should Know About Bayh-Dole” Webinar

BIO’s “What Every State Should Know About Bayh-Dole” Webinar The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) recently hosted a webinar entitled: “What Every State Should Know About Bayh-Dole: Leveraging University Research to Create Jobs and Spur Economic Development Benefits.” The Bayh-Dole Act, enacted in 1980, placed patent ownership of federally funded research at universities in the hands […]




ul

JEDI launches billion molecules agains COVID19 challenge

The Billion Molecules against Covid19 Grand Challenge aims to screen billions of molecules with blocking interactions on SARS-CoV-2




ul

US regulators permit AbbVie/Allergan merger

The closing of the acquisition remains subject to other customary closing conditions




ul

House Health Leaders Oppose Rule to Roll Back ACA Nondiscrimination Protections

Today, Chairs of the House Committees that oversee the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) voiced their strong opposition to a harmful Trump Administration rule that would roll back Affordable Care Act (ACA) nondiscrimination protections. In a letter, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA), House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA), and House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairwoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) urged HHS Secretary Alex Azar not to finalize this troubling rule and to instead focus on responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. The rule would overturn core protections for marginalized communities including LGBTQ+ people, women, individuals with limited English proficiency, and individuals with disabilities, and eliminate many health care programs and activities from coverage of the Affordable Care Act’s nondiscrimination requirements. “At a time when the United States is grappling with the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and access to health care services is so critical, we are disappointed that this Administration is once again taking steps to limit access to health care and embolden discrimination against some of the most vulnerable among us,” the Chairs wrote. “If finalized, this dangerous rule would open the door to discrimination against patients in express contradiction to the plain language and intent of the law, and would therefore be illegal. Undermining protections for marginalized individuals at any time is unacceptable, but it is particularly egregious to do so during the worst global pandemic in over a century.” Read the full letter to Secretary Azar HERE. ###




ul

Jerome Carle steps down as Julphar Chief Executive

Chief Executive of Gulf Pharmaceutical Industries, Jerome Carle, is stepping down from his post at the United Arab Emirates drug manufacturer facing mounting pressure.

Julphar, one of the biggest generic drugs manufacturers in the Middle East and North Africa said Jerome Carle has “tendered his resignation” and the board has accepted it. His last working day will be December 8th.

read more




ul

If It Wanted To, The FDA Could Destroy E-Cigarette Makers

Past experience says that when the FDA has the will to use its regulatory power, it can shake whole industries. Companies like Juul should tread extremely carefully.




ul

Three Early Signs That COVID-19 Could Disrupt the Buy-and-Bill Channel

Will home infusion growth be a long-overdue correction for the buy -and-bill channel or a temporary blip that will soon vanish?

For some time, I have been tracking the evolution of the buy-and-bill system for provider-administered drugs. The data have shown that hospital outpatient departments have been displacing physician offices. Amid this shift, home infusion providers have accounted for a minority of commercial medical benefit spending and a tiny share of Medicare Part B spending.

However, the coronavirus pandemic is triggering new growth in home infusion for buy-and-bill products. Below, I highlight the early signs of a marketplace change. I believe that some of these short-term shifts in the buy-and-bill market will persist even after we have recovered from COVID-19. They may even slow the runaway growth of the 340B Drug Pricing Program.

If not, then I suppose we'll just keep living in a world with limited home infusion over and over.

In early May, Drug Channels Institute will host two live video webinars: Industry Update and COVID-19 Impact: Retail & Specialty Pharmacies (May 1) and Industry Update and COVID-19 Impact: PBMs & Payers (May 8). CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE AND SIGN UP. DCI will donate 20% of all profits from these events to The Center for Disaster Philanthropy’s COVID-19 Response Fund. Watch my video invitation below.

Read more »
        




ul

Express Scripts vs. CVS Health: Five Lessons From the 2020 Formulary Exclusions and Some Thoughts on Patient Impact (rerun)

This week, I’m rerunning some popular posts while I prepare for this Friday’s video webinar: Industry Update and COVID-19 Impact: PBMs & Payers.

Today's rerun highlights one of the most effective tactics that PBMs have developed to extract deeper discounts from brand-name drug makers. COVID-19 seems likely shift the U.S. payer mix away from commercial health plans. Expect even tighter formulary management and more restrictions as PBMs work even harder to cut costs for their plan sponsor clients.

Click here to see the original post and comments from January 2020.




For 2020, the two largest pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs)—Express Scripts and the Caremark business of CVS Health—have again increased the number of drugs they have excluded from their standard formularies. The 2020 formulary exclusion lists are available below for your downloading pleasure.

Below, I highlight my key takeaways from the 2020 lists:
  • The number of exclusions
  • Management of specialty drugs
  • Indication-based formularies
  • The slow adoption of biosimilars
  • The PBMs’ patient-unfriendly exclusions in the hepatitis C category
Formulary exclusions have emerged as a powerful tool for PBMs to gain additional negotiating leverage against manufacturers. The prospect of exclusion leads manufacturers to offer deeper rebates to avoid being cut from the formulary. Exclusions are therefore a key factor behind falling brand-name net drug prices.

Read on for a look at this year’s exclusions along with some closing thoughts on what exclusions mean for patients.
Read more »
        




ul

Did Galileo Truly Say, 'And Yet It Moves'? A Modern Detective Story

An astrophysicist traces genealogy and art history to discover the origin of the famous motto

-- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com




ul

Comets Prevent Ether from Accumulating in Space

Originally published in January 1859

-- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com




ul

Rabbit Virus Could Provide Gene Therapy

Originally published in February 1967

-- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com




ul

ACRO testifies before IRS and Treasury Department on proposed Base Erosion and Anti-Abuse Tax (BEAT) regulation

On Monday, March 25, 2019 ACRO provided testimony at a public hearing held by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Treasury Department...




ul

Bayer partners with Population Health Research Institute (PHRI) on global clinical research evaluating COVID-19 treatments

Investigation of combination therapies including Bayer’s chloroquine and interferon beta-1b to foster much needed solutions for patients in fight against coronavirus pandemic / Bayer Canada to make CAD 1.5 million (approximately 1 million euros) financial commitment and to supply products in support of the research / Plans to include more than 60 contributing research locations involving 6.000 patients




ul

AstraZeneca success should prompt review of takeover rules | Nils Pratley

Firm’s recent success could have been very different had it been bought out by Pfizer in 2014

It’s perhaps not surprising that the worth of healthcare companies should emerge during a global pandemic, but we should offer thanks for the UK’s big pharma twins – AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline.

The former, with its share price at all-time high, is now jostling with Shell and Unilever for the title of biggest company in the FTSE 100 index. Successful research bets, especially on cancer drugs, have transformed Astra.

Continue reading...




ul

Covid-19 could mark a deadly turn in Ghana's fight against fake drugs

With substandard medicines already in wide circulation, fears are growing that coronavirus could create a lethal ‘parallel crisis’

When Joana Opoku-Darko’s daughter Anna was 18 months old, she came down with malaria, a disease common in Ghana and especially deadly for children.

She bought medication from a pharmacy in Ghana’s capital, Accra; when Anna’s fever didn’t subside she took her to a hospital, where they ran some tests.

The current focus on curbing Covid-19 spread means there is less focus on routine market surveillance

Related: Fight the fakes: how to beat the $200bn medicine counterfeiters | Helen Lock

Continue reading...




ul

The promise of an Oxford vaccine reveals how a new Britain could thrive | Will Hutton

The partnership between AstraZeneca and the Jenner Institute should jolt our industry and banks


There was some good news last week. Oxford University’s Jenner Institute announced it was teaming up with AstraZeneca to take a promising prototype of coronavirus vaccine into volume production by the autumn. Of course there are caveats – the institute’s confidence in its vaccine may not be validated by the trials that began last week.

Still it was heartening, after so much tragic incompetence, that a British university and a British company could forge a relationship of such potential national importance.

The piping through which emergency credit must flow is atrophied and weak

Continue reading...




ul

NICE backtracks to approve Janssen's Stelara in ulcerative colitis

NICE has recommended Janssen’s Stelara (ustekinumab) for the treatment of moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC), a move which rows back on the Institute’s decision to reject the drug last year.




ul

Teva’s cancer drug Bendeka protected from generics until 2031, judge rules

A US federal judge has ruled that generic versions of the cancer treatment Bendeka infringe on four separate patents, and has delayed them from launching until 2031.




ul

Top Ten most popular articles on Pharmafile.com this week

The search for a COVID-19 treatment has ramped up this week, with two new studies detailing the efficacy of Gilead’s antiviral therapy remdesivir in the treatment of patients hospitalised with coronavirus, while researchers in America have been studying famotidine, the active ingredient in Pepcid, as a potential drug to help alleviate symptoms of the virus.




ul

Positive CHMP opinion for BMS and Acceleron's Reblozyl in transfusion-dependent anaemia sub-populations

Bristol Myers Squibb and Acceleron Pharma’s Reblozyl (luspatercept) has secured a positivr opinion from the European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) for use in the treatment of transfusion-dependent anaemia in two adult patient populations.




ul

Scientists in Kenya discover microbe that could stop transmission of malaria

Researchers studying malaria in Kenya have discovered a microbe that blocks transmission of malaria from mosquitoes which could pave the way to eradicating the disease.